Lipscomb's Hodzic signs on with European professional team

Many NBA players view European professional leagues as a viable option in the event the current lockout enacted by owners disrupts the next season.

Adnan Hodzic sees them as an opportunity.

Lipscomb University’s all-time leading scorer in the NCAA era signed a contract with Germany’s Walter Tigers on Wednesday, roughly four months since the end of his college career.

“It’s a great and emotional feeling that those years of hard work are paying off,” Hodzic said, according to a release from the university. “I feel blessed to be playing in a premier league the first year out of college.”

The club, one of 18 in the German BBL, spent roughly six weeks in negotiations with Hodzic, a 6-foot-9 post player who was a three-time All-Atlantic Sun Conference selection. He averaged 16.5 points and 6.9 rebounds for his career, which included a streak of 72 straight games with at least 10 points scored.

“Hodzic has been one of the major players and best scorers across all NCAA conferences in the last three years,” coach Igor Perovic said on the team’s website. “He is an exceptionally aggressive basketball player and is hard to stop near the basket.”

Hodzic is scheduled to leave this week and join Bosnian National Team in preparation for the European Championships, which are scheduled to run from Aug. 31 through Sept. 18. The 35-game German BBL season runs from October through April.

“It’s all still a surreal feelings,” he said. “My family and I are ecstatic for the opportunity to play professionally.”